Yokohama Cinemarine

Yokohama Cinemarine is a small independent movie theater located in Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is one of the few remaining mini-theaters operating in the Isezakicho area, alongside Cinema Jack & Betty. The theater traces its origins to 1955, when Yoshimoto Kogyo opened the Yokohama Hanagetsu Movie Theater. After closing in 1963, it reopened in 1964 as Isezaki Cinemaza, initially screening Toho films before shifting to adult films such as Nikkatsu Roman Porno. In 1986, the manager of Isezaki Cinemaza took over the theater, and in 1989 it was renovated and reopened as Yokohama Cinemarine, showing general entertainment films from Shochiku. The name combines "cinema" and "marine," referencing Yokohama's sea. In 2014, facing the rise of multiplexes and the digital transition, the theater closed temporarily. It was saved when a woman who was the office manager of the film club Yokohama Kinema Club, invited by Cinemarine's projectionist, bought the operating company and aimed to revive it. Using a subsidy from Yokohama City's artistic real estate renovation program, she undertook the revival as an individual business. The building, over 60 years old, required extensive renovations, including dealing with leaks and mold. The theater pre-opened on December 12, the birthday and death anniversary of film director Yasujiro Ozu, with the Norwegian-Irish film "I Want to Say Goodbye" as the main opening feature. Renovations were completed in April 2015. The theater is located on the basement floor of the Uero Building at the Chojamachi 5-chome intersection, facing National Route 16 and Yokohama Station Negishi Road. It has 102 seats, reduced from 165 before renovation, with a larger screen and a small stage for talks. It uses a 35mm projector purchased from Shibuya Auditorium and Dolby Surround 5.1 sound. The programming mixes new and old films, with a focus on high-quality works that have few screening opportunities, documentaries on food culture and women, and socially conscious films on nuclear power and war. The theater also hosts stage greetings and talk events with directors and guests.

Yokohama Cinemarine is a small independent movie theater located in Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is one of the few remaining mini-theaters operating in the Isezakicho area, alongside Cinema Jack & Betty. The theater traces its origins to July 8, 1955, when Yoshimoto Kogyo opened the Yokohama Hanagetsu Movie Theater (also referred to in some sources as Yokohama Hanagetsu Theater or Hanagetsu Movie Theater). At that time, more than 20 movie theaters lined the streets of Isezakicho and Nogecho. This theater closed once in 1963, and the following year, in 1964, it reopened under the name Isezaki Cinemaza, owned by a tonkatsu restaurant in Isezakicho. Initially it screened many Toho films, but gradually shifted to adult films such as Nikkatsu Roman Porno. In 1986, the manager of Isezaki Cinemaza took over the theater, and in 1989 it was renovated and reopened as Yokohama Cinemarine, screening general entertainment films from Shochiku. The theater's name is a portmanteau of "cinema" and "marine" (the sea, referencing Yokohama). After that, unable to ride the wave of multiplex proliferation and theater digitalization, the theater closed temporarily on March 31, 2014. Facing the crisis of closure, a woman who was the office manager of the film club Yokohama Kinema Club, invited by Cinemarine's projection equipment maintenance person, bought the operating company and aimed to revive it. Due to the difficulty of a consensus-based approach, she did it not as a club but as an individual business, utilizing a subsidy from Yokohama City's artistic real estate renovation program. The building was over 60 years old, and renovation was fraught with difficulties: when it rained, water seeped from the walls, and when the long-unused air conditioner was test-run, mold spread throughout the theater. The pre-opening was set for December 12, the birthday and death anniversary of film director Yasujiro Ozu, and the opening main feature was the Norwegian-Irish co-production "I Want to Say Goodbye" (Norwegian: "En dag til"). On the day of the pre-opening, work continued on laying the lobby floor, and the interior construction was completed in April 2015. The theater is located on the basement floor of the Uero Building at the Chojamachi 5-chome intersection, where National Route 16 and Yokohama Station Negishi Road meet, with an entrance in an alley one block south of Isezaki Mall. Before renovation, it had 165 seats, but four rows of front seats were removed, reducing it to 102 seats, and the screen was replaced with a larger one, and a small stage was installed to allow stage greetings. The aging 35mm projector was replaced with one purchased from Shibuya Auditorium, which was being renovated into Euro Live. In exchange, seats no longer used at Cinemarine were used at Euro Live. A projectionist capable of handling film was introduced by the manager of Eurospace in Shibuya. Dolby Surround 5.1 was adopted for sound, glass wool was applied to the walls to improve the acoustic environment, and the lobby was renovated and women's restrooms were added. The owner and programmer have stated that they want to screen a mix of new and old films, including high-quality works that have few opportunities to be shown, documentaries on food culture and women, and socially conscious works on nuclear power and war. The theater also hosts stage greetings and talk events with directors and guests, as seen in recent event announcements on its official website.

• Yokohama Hanagetsu Movie Theater, predecessor of Yokohama Cinemarine, opens under Yoshimoto Kogyo.

• The theater closes temporarily.

• Reopens as Isezaki Cinemaza, owned by a tonkatsu restaurant in Isezakicho.

• The manager of Isezaki Cinemaza takes over the theater.

• Renovated and reopened as Yokohama Cinemarine, screening Shochiku entertainment films.

• The theater closes temporarily due to multiplex competition and digitalization.

• Pre-opening under new ownership; main feature is 'I Want to Say Goodbye'.

• Interior renovation completed.

A community-oriented mini-theater specializing in arthouse, documentary, and socially conscious films, preserving the cinematic culture of Yokohama.

• Movie screenings (arthouse, documentary, socially conscious films)

• Stage greetings and talk events

• Online ticket sales

1. 1Yokohama Cinemarine official websitecinemarine.co.jp
2. 2Yokohama Cinemarine - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org
3. 3Yokohama Cinemarine - Wikidatawikidata.org